Friday 27 April 2012 by Catherine Baksi

The Law Society is to create a new membership section - the Solicitor Judges Division - to create a community of solicitor judges. The division, which will be launched at Chancery Lane on 9 May, is intended to provide opportunities for networking and supporting solicitors in their judicial careers, through national and circuit events.

Membership is free and open to any solicitor on the roll holding a judicial appointment in either the courts or tribunals.

Law Society president John Wotton said: 'This new division will help to strengthen the connections between fellow solicitor judges and between them and the Society.

'I am hoping that a by-product of the Solicitor Judges Division will be that more solicitors follow in their footsteps. Solicitors are well placed to make excellent judges and this division will highlight this valuable career path,' he said.

Chairman of the Judicial Appointments Commission Christopher Stephens said: 'Solicitors have many skills which make them ideal for judicial appointment, such as case management, analysis, authority and decision-making.

'The JAC hopes the new Solicitor Judges Division will assist many more to be successful in becoming a judge. We will work with the Law Society on this initiative and will provide all possible support.'